TOEFL TPO -1 Academic Discussion Writing Sample: Would it generally be better for a new university graduate to begin working for a large, established company, or for a small start-up company? Why?
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Professor
When students are preparing to graduate from university, they need to make decisions about what kind of company they want to work for. They might consider large, older companies with an established reputation, or possibly new start- up companies, which tend to be small but very focused on the future. Consider the advantages of each. Would it generally be better for a new university graduate to begin working for a large, established company, or for a small start-up company? Why?
Student A
I think in general, the established company is the better choice. Because they're already well-known, these companies have a certain amount of respect in the business community, so it would look good to have that job experience on your résumé. That advantage alone would be a great start for a recent graduate.
Student B
I see your point, Kelly, but taking a position at a start-up company would offer so much excitement. They often have an energy that older companies can't match-everyone can be focused on new, innovative business practices and they would be more aggressive about getting new clients. That would be a much better experience for someone fresh out of university!
User Samples & Evaluation Results
User Sample
In my opinion, it is better for a new university graduate to work for a large established company. Firstly, students can earn money to guarantee their daily life in a large company. It is because a large company usually has a steady marketing position which means the company has substantial collaborators and steady profits. Therefore, new graduates can have a steady income and no longer have to worry about being able to afford living cost. Secondly, large companies have affluent resources. Large companies usually have lots of projects, offering better work platforms for new employees. In this case, graduates can get different knowledge from different departments and realize their potentials. What’s more, there are many excellent workers in large companies. By working with these experienced people, new employees can improve their work skills and create their own social network.
Evaluation Result
1. 子项得分
Relevance and Contribution to Discussion: 4.5 Clarity and Elaboration of Viewpoint: 4.0 Language Use and Grammar: 4.0
2. 预估分数
27. 3 任务完成度
这篇文章在完成任务方面做得相当不错,但仍有改进的空间。首先,文章可以更具体地讨论大公司和小公司之间的差异,并提供更多相关例子。此外,作者可以提到小公司的一些优点以进行对比。为了提高文章质量,请考虑以下建议:
示例1:在讨论大公司的优势时,可以举一个具体的例子,如:“在大公司工作时,新员工可能会参与到国际项目中,从而拓宽他们的视野。”
示例2:在对比小公司时,可以提到一些优点以进行对比,如:“然而,在小型创业公司工作也有其优势,例如更灵活的工作环境和更多的职业发展机会。”
4. 文章结构与组织
文章结构方面基本合理,包括引言、正文和结论。然而,在段落组织和过渡方面还有改进空间。建议使用更清晰的过渡词汇来连接不同观点,并确保每个段落都集中讨论一个特定主题。以下是一些建议:
建议1:在引言部分,可以使用更明确的过渡词汇来引出正文部分,如:“以下是我认为大公司对于新毕业生更有利的几个原因。”
建议2:在正文段落中,确保每个段落都集中讨论一个特定主题,并使用过渡词汇连接不同观点。例如,在讨论大公司的稳定收入时,可以使用过渡词汇:“首先,大公司通常具有稳定的市场地位,这意味着它们拥有可靠的合作伙伴和稳定的利润。因此,新毕业生可以获得稳定的收入。”
5. 语法批改
In my opinion, it is better for a new university graduate to work for a largelarge,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) established company. Firstly, students can earn money to guarantee their daily life in a large company. It is because a large company usually has a steady marketing positionposition,(This rule identifies whether commas are missing in a sentence.) which means the company has substantial collaborators and steady profits. Therefore, new graduates can have a steady income and no longer have to worry about being able to afford living cost. Secondly, large companies have affluent resources. Large companies usually have lots of projects, offering better work platforms for new employees. In this case, graduates can get different knowledge from different departments and realize their potentials. What’s more, there are many excellent workers in large companies. By working with these experienced people, new employees can improve their work skills and create their own social network.
Section Title: 6 Article Revision
In my view, it is more advantageous for recent university graduates to begin their careers at large, established companies. Firstly, these organizations typically provide a stable financial foundation, ensuring that new employees can comfortably support themselves. This stability stems from the company's solid market position, extensive partnerships, and consistent profits. Consequently, graduates can enjoy a steady income without worrying about meeting their living expenses. Secondly, established companies possess abundant resources and diverse projects that create an ideal environment for new employees to develop their skills and realize their potential. Exposure to various departments allows graduates to acquire a wide range of knowledge and experiences. Furthermore, working alongside seasoned professionals in such companies offers opportunities for skill enhancement and networking. In this way, recent graduates can benefit from the expertise of their colleagues while expanding their professional connections. (142 words)
In my opinion, view, it is better for a new university graduate to work for a large established company. Firstly, students can earn money to guarantee their daily life in a large company. It more advantageous (reason: "better" is because a large company usually has a steady marketing position which means the company has substantial collaborators and steady profits. Therefore, new graduates can have a steady income and no longer have to worry about being able to afford living cost. Secondly, large companies have affluent resources. Large companies usually have lots of projects, offering better work platforms for new employees. In this case, graduates can get different knowledge from different departments and realize their potentials. What’s more, a vague term; "more advantageous" specifies that there are many excellent workers in large more benefits) for recent university graduates (reason: rephrased for clarity and conciseness) to begin their careers at large, established companies. By working with Firstly, these experienced people, organizations typically provide a stable financial foundation (reason: rephrased for clarity), ensuring that new employees can improve their work comfortably support themselves. This stability stems from the company's solid market position, extensive partnerships, and consistent profits. Consequently, graduates can enjoy a steady income without worrying about meeting their living expenses (reason: rephrased to maintain the natural tone of English). Secondly, established companies possess abundant resources and diverse projects that create an ideal environment for new employees to develop their skills and create their own social network.realize their potential (reason: rephrased for clarity and conciseness). Exposure to various departments allows graduates to acquire a wide range of knowledge and experiences. Furthermore, working alongside seasoned professionals in such companies offers opportunities for skill enhancement and networking (reason: rephrased to maintain the natural tone of English). In this way, recent graduates can benefit from the expertise of their colleagues while expanding their professional connections.
Title: 8 思维导图
1. 大公司的优势
1.1 稳定的财务基础
1.1.1 市场地位
1.1.2 合作伙伴
1.1.3 利润
1.2 丰富的资源和多样化的项目
1.2.1 技能发展
1.2.2 潜力实现
1.3 各部门的接触和经验积累
1.4 和经验丰富的专业人士共事
1.4.1 技能提升
1.4.2 职业人脉拓展
Title: 9 关键词
| Word | Phonetic Symbol | Part of Speech | English definition | Simplified Chinese translation | Sample sentences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| advantageous | /ˌæd.vənˈteɪ.dʒəs/ | adj | giving an advantage; helpful | 有利的 | Working at a large company can be advantageous for recent graduates due to the stable financial foundation and abundant resources available |
| stability | /stəˈbɪləti/ | n | the quality of being steady and not changing | 稳定性 | The stability of large companies allows graduates to enjoy a steady income without worrying about meeting their living expenses. |
| market position | /ˈmɑːrkɪt pəˈzɪʃən/ | n | the rank of a company in relation to its competitors | 市场地位 | The market position of established companies ensures a stable financial foundation for new employees. |
| resources | /rɪˈsɔːrs, -z/ | n | useful materials, money, or information that can be used | 资源 | Established companies possess abundant resources and diverse projects that create an ideal environment for skill development. |
| potential | /pəˈtenʃəl/ | n | the possibility of future success or development | 潜力 | Large companies provide an environment for new employees to realize their potential. |
| exposure | /ɪkˈspoʊʒər/ | n | the fact of experiencing something or being affected by it | 接触 | Exposure to various departments allows graduates to acquire a wide range of knowledge and experiences. |
| enhancement | /ɪnˈhæns.mənt/ | n | an improvement that makes something better | 提升 | Working alongside seasoned professionals offers opportunities for skill enhancement and networking. |
| networking | /ˈnet.wɜrk.ɪŋ/ | gerund | the activity of meeting people who might be useful to know | 人际关系拓展 | In this way, recent graduates can benefit from the expertise of their colleagues while expanding their professional connections through networking. |
How Academic Discussion Is Scored
The TOEFL Academic Discussion task is evaluated based on the official ETS scoring rubric. AI evaluation analyzes each response across multiple dimensions.
Relevance & Contribution
Does the response address the question and contribute meaningfully to the discussion?
Language Use
Grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and sentence structure quality.
Development & Support
Are ideas well-developed with specific examples and clear reasoning?
Common Patterns Across Responses
Based on analysis of user submissions for this task, here are common patterns observed in student responses.
Many students provide clear opinions but lack specific supporting examples.
Strong responses directly reference the reading passage and other speakers' viewpoints.
Higher-scoring responses use varied sentence structures and academic vocabulary.
Time management is a key factor — responses that feel rushed tend to score lower on development.
Learning Tips
Read the prompt carefully and identify all parts of the question before writing.
Reference the reading passage and the other students' opinions in your response.
Use specific examples to support your main point — avoid generic statements.
Aim for 120-150 words. Longer responses are not always better; clarity and focus matter more.
Practice timed responses (10 minutes) to build fluency under exam conditions.
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